Congo rebels allow gorilla survey

24 July 2012 Last updated at 08:46 ET

Game rangers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have launched a search for critically endangered mountain gorillas not spotted for months.

Six families of mountain gorillas in the Virunga Park have been missing since clashes broke out in the area between government and rebel forces.

Park officials said both fighting groups have agreed that rangers could search for primates.

Virunga is home to 480 of the world's 790 remaining mountain gorillas.

The latest unrest began in April with an army mutiny - and more than 200,000 people in the region have been displaced.

Health risk

The park's director Emmanuel de Merode said DR Congo's army and the M23 rebel group had allowed the rangers to launch search operations for the gorillas in rebel-controlled territory.

"We are delighted and relieved that all sides in the conflict have recognised the need to protect [DR] Congo's only mountain gorillas," he said in a statement.

Mr de Merode said 45 rangers would work with local communities to try and track the primates.

"After locating the gorilla families, the park's gorilla monitoring teams will individually identify each member of the family," he said.

"Their health status will also be assessed as mountain gorillas are particularly vulnerable to disease."

Rangers were forced to evacuate Virunga Park in early May because of fierce fighting between government and rebel forces, he said.

"Extensive use of heavy machine guns, mortars and combat helicopters blocked all efforts to monitor and protect gorilla families that make their home in the surrounding forests," Mr de Merode said.

Virunga in eastern DR Congo is one of the most bio-diverse places on Earth and is on the UN's list of World Heritage sites in danger.

The mountain gorillas have been threatened with extinction because of expanding human settlements, the long-running conflict in the region, and possible oil exploration in the park.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18969353#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

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